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, or duty. That to the height of this great argument I may assert eternal providence, And justify the ways of God to men. Milton. Unless the oppression is so extreme as to justify revolution, it would not justify the evil of breaking up a government. E. Everett.

To maintain; to defend. [Obs. or Archaic] That . . . I may assert Eternal Providence, And justify the ways of God to men. Milton. I will assert it from the scandal. Jer. Taylor.

To justify; to furnish a ground for. Locke.

To avouch or verify; to offer to verify; to prove or justify. See Averment.

A positive statement of facts; an allegation; an offer to justify or prove what is alleged.

To acknowledge and justify, as an act done. See Avowry. Blackstone.

To free from the imputation of guilt; to justify, vindicate, or acquit; -- often used with from before the thing imputed. I . . . am sure he will clear me from partiality. Dryden. How! wouldst thou clear rebellion Addison.

The act or practice of justifying or confirming a man's veracity by the oath of others; -- called also wager of law. See Purgation; also Wager of law, under Wager.

n, or the imputation of fault or blame; to clear from guilt; to release from a charge; to justify by extenuating a fault; to exculpate; to absolve; to acquit. A man's persuasion that a thing is duty, will not excuse him from guilt in practicing it, if really and indeed it be against Gog's law. Abp. Sharp.…

Remote from purpose; contrary to design or wishes; as, far be it from me to justify cruelty.

century by John Glass, a minister of the Established Church of Scotland, who taught that justifying faith is "no more than a simple assent to the divine testimone passively recived by the understanding." The English and American adherents of this faith are called Sandemanians, after Robert Sandeman, the son-in-law and…

eing himself confronted by so many, like a resolute orator, he went not to denial, but to justify his cruel falsehood. Sir P. Sidney.

lloq.] It is an old Joe Miller in whist circles, that there are only two reasons that can justify you in not returning trumps to your partner's lead; i. e., first, sudden illness; secondly, having none. Pole.

The act of justifying or the state of being justified; a showing or proving to be just or conformable to law, justice, right, or duty; defense; vindication; support; as, arguments in justification of the prisoner's conduct; his disobedience admits justification. I hope, for my brother's justification, he wrote this but…

Having power to justify; justificatory.

n of themselves. Addison. A perverse will easily collects together a system of notions to justify itself in its obliquity. J. H. Newman.

To find by logical process; to explain or justify by reason or argument; -- usually with out; as, to reason out the causes of the librations of the moon.

or harm; safeness; hence, the quality of making safe or secure, or of giving confidence, justifying trust, insuring against harm or loss, etc. Would there were any safety in thy sex, That I might put a thousand sorrows off. Beau. & Fl.

A thin slip of wood used to justify a page. [Obs.] Crabb.

; to contend. "Once we stood up about the corn." Shak. -- To stand up for, to defend; to justify; to support, or attempt to support; as, to stand up for the administration. -- To stand upon. (a) To concern; to interest. (b) To value; to esteem. "We highly esteem and stand much upon our birth." Ray. (c) To insist on;…